Thank Goodness for Denton
by SnarkyBubble
Summary: "Maybe the reason Davey hadn't had romantic thoughts before was because he hadn't considered other possibilities. Other possibilities like… Denton." A completed 2-part story that explores the roles Sarah and Denton play in Davey's personal self-realization (Eventual JAVID. NOT Davey/Denton)
1. Chapter 1

Thank Goodness for Denton

by SnarkyBubble

Part 1: One or the Other

The guys had been ragging on Davey for weeks now. Little comments, not entirely guilty-sounding if you didn't know what they were referring to.

"Hey, it's David. As in David and Goliath," Race would say with a wink and a nudge to whoever was near him when Davey would enter the room. And Davey would blush, thinking of that introduction with Brian Denton, back when the strike was still getting started. He would blush, knowing that Race was referring to the Reporter.

Or, "How's our man, Denton?" Kid Blink would ask David with a straight face. And Mush, right next to him, would repeat, "Right. Our man, Denton. How is he?" Insinuating that David would know how the reporter was. As if David was off with Denton whenever he wasn't with the newsies. As if it wasn't Mush and Blink who were the ones who were always off somewhere sneaky.

Yes, the guys were convinced there was something going on between David and Denton. Which was ridiculous. Denton had no time of day for David. David hadn't even seen Denton since the strike ended.

The only one who hadn't done any teasing at all was Jack, but that would have been because she was always with Sarah. But the more the other guys would bring up Denton, the more David would blush and stammer and try to change the subject. The worst part was the way David's heart would race at their mention of Denton. And it was starting to get worse, day by day and week by week.

Before David had met Denton, he hadn't had many romantic thoughts. He figured he was just too busy with school to think about girls, or too young to worry about girls. Or maybe he was just too serious to enjoy thinking about girls that way. But now he was starting to wonder… Maybe the reason he hadn't had romantic thoughts was because he hadn't considered other possibilities. Other possibilities like… Denton. He blushed again at the thought. But at the same time, he felt slightly relieved to have formulated these thoughts. Maybe he was on his way to solving this dilemma of uncomfortable emotions.

That night, after Les had gone to bed, and his mother and father were reading the day's paper, David pulled Sarah aside.

"You aren't with Jack tonight."

"No. Not tonight. Is everything okay, David?" she asked with a furrowed brow when David had stammered a bit but hadn't been able to get right out and say what was on his mind.

He took a deep breath, then without looking at her, said, "How do you know when you like someone?"

Sarah's face seemed to soften. She sat down onto her bed, and he sat next to her. "Well, you feel a bit fluttery and excited when you think about them. And you want the best for them, even if it's not the best for you."

David looked a bit puzzled. "You mean like Jack's plan to go to Santa Fe?"

It was Sarah's turn to look away. "Maybe." Her tone was pensive, distracted. David decided to blunder ahead.

"I think I like someone. But it seems sort of crazy."

"It always feels crazy to like someone, Davey. But it's perfectly natural." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Have you tried talking to her?"

Still looking away from her face, but leaning into her hand slightly, David whispered, "It's Denton."

She pulled her hand back in surprise. "Brian Denton? But he's…"

"A man. I know." David stood up and rubbed his face with his hands. With his hands in his face he didn't see her come up to him and wrap her arms around his waist. "I told you it was crazy." He shook his head, but let his hand rest on hers, accepting her comfort. "I just… I can't get him out of my head. And when I think about all that time I spent with him during the strike, printing the paper, and his smile… I don't know what's wrong with me, really. This is the first time I've ever been excited about anyone like this. But he's a man."

Sarah was quiet for a moment, resting her face on his shoulder. "I was going to say, but he's too old for you. I wasn't going to say anything about his being a man."

David turned to look at her, his eyes inquisitive. "Should I talk to him?"

With a slow breath out, she replied, "I think you should talk to Jack."

David shook his head quickly. "No way. He's the only one NOT teasing me about Denton."

"And why do you think that is?" she asked pointedly.

David shrugged. "I don't know. He's too busy with you?" He backed toward the window, feeling let-down by her advice. "He's the last one I need to involve in this, Sarah. He's my last ally."

"Well, suit yourself. But I think he'd have better advice than me." She turned away from him, reaching for her basket of lacework, letting him leave out the window without any more words.

David found himself out in the muggy evening air, and let himself wander for a bit. He found himself on a crossroad. Turn one way and he'd find himself at Denton's apartment, where he could tell him how he felt and let nature take its course. Or turn the other way and he would find himself at the Duane Street Lodging House, to get whatever advice Jack could give. He stood there, debating for half a minute, until a figure clasped him on the shoulder and caused him to jump.

"A bit jumpy there, Mouth," Jack said, offering David the cigarette he had been holding in his other hand.

David started to decline, then changed his mind and took the cigarette, taking a deep, cough-inducing drag.

"You okay?" Jack asked. "You seem a bit…well, stressed."

David blundered ahead, deciding to follow Sarah's advice. "If you liked someone, would you wait for them to make a move, or would you do something about it."

Jack narrowed his eyes slightly. "Who put you up to this?"

"Sarah said I should ask you," David said, a bit taken aback by Jack's suspicious response.

"What did she tell you?" His voice was harsher than David expected.

David took a step back, puzzled. "Nothing. She just thought you'd have good advice for me."

Jack's face softened. "Oh. Okay. Well… Why me?" He seemed instantly calmer.

"I don't know. It's not like you and I have spent much time together lately," David accused, sounding more upset than he had realized he was. "It's like you only have eyes for Sarah."

Jack looked at David seriously for a moment. "Who do YOU have eyes for?"

David, took a deep breath, then without losing Jack's gaze, he said, "Denton."

Jack took a step back, a flash of some unreadable emotion flashing across his face. David instantly regretted saying anything, silently cursing his need to talk without thinking this through better.

"Well, good luck with that," was all Jack had to say, and he turned to stalk off, heading in the direction of the Lodging House.

David watched him go, feeling panicked. He hadn't meant to… to what? To upset Jack? Offend him? Disgust him?

He angrily kicked at a rock on the ground. This is what he got for listening to Sarah's advice. What a joke.

He was left with two options now. Approach Denton, open his heart, and see what would come of that. Or pretend he was not feeling any of these feelings and just go on with his life, living a lie.

That second option sounded like torture. He didn't think he could handle one more ribbing from the guys. He probably would snap the next time one of them decided to tease him.

But the thought of going to talk to Denton… Well, that was just the most heart-thumping, gut-wrenching plan he had ever had.

He watched Jack, far down the street, then turned to the other direction, heading for Denton's apartment. Here goes nothing.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank Goodness for Denton

by SnarkyBubble

Part 2: The Best

It had been the WORST idea ever. Davey, "The Walking Mouth," was officially at his worst desperation, which became apparent all too quickly.

Soon as Denton had opened his door, Davey had started blabbing on and on about Denton's smile, and the happiness he felt at remembering those times they spent working on the strike newspaper together, and how he had never had a chance to tell him how he truly feel. Denton's face had a frozen, pleasant expression. At David's first pause, a voice from inside Denton's apartment called, "Brian? Who is it?"

"One of my newsboy friends, Clara," he called over his shoulder. David stood there dumbly as, a moment later, a young woman peered around Denton's shoulder.

"Hello, Clara Denton," she introduced herself, putting her hand out to shake. David took her hand politely, albeit confused.

"David. David Jacobs." He let his hand drop as soon as it seemed appropriate.

Denton, who was looking both happy and unhappy to see David, motioned for David to enter the apartment.

"I'll get some tea," Clara said over her shoulder as she headed to the small kitchenette. A sizeable bulge at her stomach clearly showed she was expecting.

Clara was the only one in the apartment who didn't seem uncomfortable.

"She your…?" David left the question hang in the air. Sister? Cousin? ….

"Wife. Yes, Clara is my wife," Denton said with a nod, not quite meeting Davey's eyes. He was smiling-tight lipped, as if forcing himself to smile. They were silent for a moment, so Denton said, "Three years this December."

"Do you have any other..." Again, David wasn't sure how to finish his sentence. Surprises, was what he was thinking.

"Children? No, this is our first."

David felt as if his face must be green by this time, he felt so sick to be talking about Denton's wife and child, two very huge things about the reporter's life that he never knew. "I never knew," he finally said quietly.

"Oh, Davey, I'm sorry," Denton said, reaching to put a hand on David's shoulder. David looked at Denton's hand, and Denton let his hand drop, taking the hint.

David tried to play it off. "Sorry about what?" As if he didn't feel led on and lied to.

"I... I meant to tell you about Clara. I wanted you to meet her, I did. It just didn't seem to work out that way in the beginning. And then it got to the point where it seemed too late because..." Denton trailed off, as if trying to protect Davey's feelings.

"Because you got re-assigned, so it didn't matter anymore, right? Mr. Ace War Corresspondent."

Denton cleared his throat. "I might have been the one to request the reassignment. Things were getting too...personal."

It took all of Davey's control to keep his composure. It was starting to sound as if every little memory from the strike that Davey had treasured in his heart was only one-sided. All those sideways glances, were they just imagined? Paying the fines and treating the newsies to meals, was that because he actually cared about all of the boys, not just Davey? And all that time, was Denton aware of Davey's caring-even when Davey hadn't quite been aware-and was he trying to get away because of that?

Davey stood. "I better go. Thanks for the visit." He had to get out of there.

"Davey, it's okay. Stay for tea," Denton pleaded, reaching for Davey's arm. Davey backed up, almost bumping into Clara, with her arms full of tea things.

"No, it's late. I need to... Sorry." He glanced at Clara. "Sorry, ma'am."

Davey couldn't get himself out of the apartment soon enough. Right as the door was shut behind him, he was running. He ran from Denton and he ran from his mortification, not running to any specific place. Until he realized he was running in a similar path that he had run with Jack all those weeks ago, when they were running from the bulls. That first day they had met. Jack, the one person who hadn't been teasing him, and yet Davey had managed to upset him. So he changed his direction, running toward home, away from Jack, too.

He stopped running as he neared their tenement, clutching a stitch in his side. He was still breathing heavily when he entered his parents' front door.

"Davey, where have you been? Are you alright?" his mother said, rising to her feet at the sight of him coming in so late and so out of breath.

"Just getting some exercise, Mama," he mumbled, hurrying to his and Sarah's room. He stopped sharply at the door, though, when he saw that she and Jack were sitting closely on her bed, speaking in hushed voices.

"Oh. Excuse me for interrupting," David said, startled by Jack's presence. He started to go back out into the other room.

"Wait," Sarah insisted, standing and gesturing for David to take her spot on the bed. She seemed to shoot Jack a look, and Jack nodded his head.

"We was just waiting for you, Davey," Jack said. And after another look from Sarah, he added, "I mean, I was."

Davey glanced between Sarah and Jack, then nodded and crossed the short distance to the bed, and set down heavily. He was already feeling like nothing could get worse. Being confronted by Jack was just going to be icing on the cake.

Sarah left, closing the door, and the boys sat in silence for a moment. As Jack cleared his throat, David started speaking. "I know what you're going to say. That I'm crazy for even thinking about Denton that way. That I'm an idiot, even."

"No, Davey. You're not an idiot." Jack sniffed slightly, that nervous tic Davey recognized. "And you have no idea what I'm going to say. Could you keep your mouth from walking for once?"

David swallowed but nodded silently, letting Jack speak. "If anyone is an idiot, it's me. For leading your sister on, for ignoring you these last few weeks whole I dealt with...stuff, for not noticing sooner that you... That you..." As Davey listened to Jack struggle to put his thoughts into words, he became aware of how close they were to each other on the small bed, their knees inches from each other. Davey's hand was resting on his own knee, his shoulder brushed by Jack's shoulder each time Jack shifted anxiously and sniffed.

"That I...?" Davey prompted, turning his attention from his hand to Jack's face quizzically. Jack's buttery eyes met his, and Davey thought he knew what Jack was trying to say. "That I could care about men the way you care about my sister?"

"No, Davey," Jack sighed with frustration, looking away, then mumbled, "What the hell, maybe you ARE an idiot."

"Hey!" Davey protested, but Jack took Davey's hands into his own, holding them against his chest and Davey turned silent, his blue eyes back on Jack's face, their knees now brushing.

"That you could care about men the way I do." Jack sniffed, then blundered on ahead, "The way I do about you, in particular."

Davey self-consciously licked his lower lip. He was unaware that Jack had let go of his hands, and that Davey was grasping ahold of Jack's shirt of his own accord. He was unaware, that is, until Jack's hands were cupping Davey's face and pulling him to him, and by then it was too late to do anything but melt into his friend's kiss.

It was different than Davey would have expected, kissing someone. Jack tasted of summer, of day dreams, and of hope. He never expected kissing someone would open their soul to him like that. Though maybe it wasn't the kiss that did that. Maybe it was the WHO of the kiss that did that.

"Wow, I-"

"You are always talking, Davey. Is it always necessary?" Jack brushed at one of Davey's curls, leaning in for another kiss, not figuring David would answer. But it wasn't the first time jack was wrong about Davey.

"I never knew kissing you would feel like this," Davey interrupted.

"Yeah, well, thank goodness for Denton," Jack teased. He started to lean in again, but Davey pushed back slightly on his chest.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm just glad that he caught your fancy, otherwise I might never have thought to take a chance," Jack said casually.

With a groan, David lowered his head into Jack's chest. "I just wish you had taken a chance before I had brutally embarrassed myself in front of him and his wife, rather than waiting until after that catastrophe."

Jack grinned, nuzzling David's hair. "Now, now, Davey, whatever happened, I'm sure you had to go through that first. You had to know he was unavailable-did you say wife?-before you'd settle for me."

David lifted his face to look at Jack's. "If you think I'm settling, then you really are the idiot."

"Oh, you sweet-talker," Jack chided him. "Leave it to the Walking Mouth..."

"NOW who's always talking?" Davey mouthed back. His eyes were twinkling and he was enjoying all sorts of fluttering in his heart. But the best part of all, was that David was sure that wanting the best for Jack was going to be the best for him, too.

The end

Thanks for reading! I feel a bit newsies-inspired right now so I thought I'd take advantage of camp NaNoWriMo this month and just roll with this inspiration. We will have to see what sort of writing I come up with. I tend to like to focus on drabbles, so don't expect anything this long on a regular basis.


	3. Chapter 3

Epilogue

That night, Sarah scribbled in her diary while watching a sleeping Davey smile in his sleep.

It's hard to imagine that it's really the end for Jack and me. After the past month or two of getting to know him, it will feel like there's a hole in my heart.

Though it's funny... Up until the day Jack confined in me about his feelings for Davey, I hadn't felt very comfortable around Jack. Up until then I felt too nervous. It was the day after he kissed me, the day after the strike had ended. He showed up at our home while Les and Davey were gone and begged to talk to me up on the roof. The looks Mama and Father exchanged made me blush. They clearly thought he must be coming over to propose!

The actual conversation was a daze of anxious disappointment for me, but it boiled down to Jack pleading with me for forgiveness for kissing me. I was stunned. He would have rather kissed my brother, than me! But I was even more stunned when Jack continued to come over and confide in me, and I was increasingly pleased to see him. I grew to care about him as a brother, and fervently protected his secret, allowing him to use me as an excuse to come and visit David.

Well no one was more surprised than me when David came to me, expressing feelings for a man! My heart actually soared at that admission. I was sure this would be Jack's chance. He could tell David how he cared for him, and David would see that his feelings for Denton were actually just misplaced feelings for Jack. I was sure of this.

So when Jack showed up distraught, shortly after Davey had left, I spent the next thirty minutes reprimanding Jack for not telling Davey how he felt when he had the chance. I had thought Jack was braver than that. Though Jack, with all his bravado, has really always been rather poor with words. That was the beauty of their partnership during the strike, the beauty of possibility I saw for them.

I urged Jack to stay and wait for David. To tell him the truth as soon as he returned home. I helped prepare him for what he should say: another Jacobs helping him prepare his words. Only this time, instead of the future of the working boys and girls of New York at stake, it was his personal life.

As I write this, I suppose the hole in my heart is not for losing Jack, not really. I imagine I will be seeing even more of him as his dreams come true with my brother. No, I haven't lost Jack. Just the dream of what might have been between us.

And now it's on to other dreams. Perhaps the nice Jewish boy at the deli. Mama would like that. He's been slipping me extra slices of cheese for awhile now. Tomorrow I'll bake him some rugelach cookies, wrapped in one of those lace doilies Davey is always teasing me about. I'll be sure to save some for my three brothers. And maybe I'll send some to Denton, too. To share my appreciation for his inadvertent help.

I felt too bad for Sarah. I wanted to know that she was going to be okay, so I gave her a chance to share her side of this story. And I feel more satisfied now. :)


End file.
